November 14, 2013

Hello to you! How are things in your neck of the woods? Are you enjoying autumn or has it already passed you by?

Fall is such a pretty season, full of such simple splendor, that it's too bad that it doesn't last longer, don't you think? Sometimes, I can hardly believe how awe-inspiring nature can be. There are moments when I look around and I'll notice something that seems especially beautiful. Often it has to do with the way the light is falling...glimmers of a setting sun shining though the clouds...or the sun's rays softly illuminating the trees, sending sparkly bits of light through the leaves as they flutter in the breeze. I know it sounds kind of weird, but sometimes I have moments where I'm so overcome by God's creation that it almost makes me cry :)

Anyway, a week or so ago, I thought I'd take a few photos of some of the pretty, vibrant leaves outside my window before fall said farewell. Within days, the weather took a turn for the worst and the wind came, whisking all that color down to the ground.

It seems like once the leaves fade and Halloween has came and went, my mind tends to skip right over Thanksgiving on towards Christmas. Maybe it's because it's my favorite holiday...I don't know. At any rate, all of the things that I want to do for the season start popping into my head and I start making plans. Because it's such a busy time of year, most of them never actually become a reality, but it's nice to dream a little, right?

I'm already thinking about my Christmas color scheme and whatnot and have made a few purchases with it in mind. Last year I went with neutrals, so this year I'm leaning towards red and white...maybe a Scandinavian type thing. Do you have any plans in the works yet?

I have a few posts planned for between now and Christmas, so I guess we'll just see where my ideas go. Well, that's all I have for today.

October 02, 2013

Gosh, I can't believe it's October already! Time sure flies, doesn't it? That thought ran through my mind the other day as I was looking through pictures on the computer and saw these shots that I took last APRIL! I have a tendency to do that...take photos and then forget about them. At any rate, I thought the colors and subjects worked well for autumn too, so here they are.

I love the color of these flowers. They kind of make me think of the pretty salmon-colored leaves that are found on some of the maple trees this time of year. Apparently, they're a variety of ranunculus. Aren't they different?

Pears always make me think of fall too, since that's when they're in season. I've been wanting to make a pear tart. I keep thinking about it. You know, when you get an idea in your head and you can't shake it loose? I've been trying to cut gluten and sugar out of my diet though, so that eliminates the possibility of tart eating. Things have been going pretty good, except for the day I ate a doughnut or two...okay, three :)

Since I've decided to put more emphasis on my health, I also signed up for an intense ten week exercise class. It starts on Saturday. That first day they'll test us with a timed run and whatnot. The worst of it will be though, horror of all horrors...before photos. Ugh. Wish me luck, people :)

Well, anyway, that's what's going on in my world. Hope you're having a good week!

September 17, 2013

I figured it was time to hobble together a post since it's been how long since I've been here...a month? Yep, sad, but true. Anyway, I thought I'd show you a few photos I took while visiting a plantation in South Carolina earlier this summer.

There were a variety of things to do, but we pretty much just walked around taking in the sites, which basically consisted of the house, gardens and animals. If you minus out the fact that it felt like 842 degrees outside and that I found the way they cared for the majority of the animals disturbing, it was enjoyable.

Here's a glimpse of the house.

There were paths that meandered through the gardens. Here and there, you'd find something interesting like this red bridge...

or this little gazebo. The minute my daughter laid eyes on this, she had to run over and check it out. I love the copper roof.

No matter where I visit, the animals are always bound to be my favorite part.

One thing I absolutely L.O.V.E about the south is all the moss that hangs from the trees. It looks so pretty when it's blowing in the breeze.

Isn't this a great rustic fence? Those two little dots off in the distance are a few ponies grazing.

August 15, 2013

When I have a few moments to mosey around and see what people are making or doing or saying in their corner of the blog world, my interest is often stirred by those that offer up details of their life, spilling their feelings and stories like the pages of an open book.

I find myself drawn into their daily happenings through the funny things their kids did, the places they visited, the happy moments that they share and the sad ones too.

Oftentimes, I wish that I was the kind of person who could talk about similar things here, but I know that that's not really who I am. I'm more inclined to show you little things that I love melded with snippets of my life. In the life that I share here, I'm probably more like a short story than a novel...or perhaps I'm more like a paragraph :)

I might talk about a recipe that I made or a place that I visited or tell you how I grew cosmos this year and then go on to say that this is the first year I planted them and probably not the last since they did so well...spouting tall, looking all pretty and wispy and such.

And of course, I would show you some pictures, because that's what we do, but for me, that's the best part. It's how I tell my story.

Perhaps my life here is just a picture book...and a few rambling captions :)

August 02, 2013

I must admit that I've been home from vacation for awhile, but have had such a hard time putting together a post...I've been busy enjoying the summer and whatnot while it's still here.

Anyway, my getaway was wonderful! I'm in love with the South, I tell ya. We spent four days or so in Asheville, North Carolina before we traveled on to Charleston. Both were such beautiful places!

I didn't really come home with as many pictures as I had hoped. My family would probably find this hard to believe since my camera was basically velcroed to my side, but it's hard to do much photography when you're traveling with other people. I'm sure they all were sighing inside every time I stopped to take a picture of something :)

While we were in Charleston, we stayed on one of the islands and took trips into downtown on a few occasions. I loved that set up. It was pretty and peaceful at our hotel, as well as being the perfect place for children, yet it took only a few minutes to get into the heart of the city.

Charleston is such great town! Like any city, I suppose, there are areas that are a little iffy, but for the most part it's absolutely charming, brimming with history and beautiful architecture. The streets are lined with gorgeous old homes and buildings, with pretty little walkways nestled amongst them. There's lush flower-filled gardens and huge trees draped in spanish moss and, of course, there are all the wonderful restaurants and shops too. And to top it all off, everything is within steps of the ocean! I don't think I could ever tire of it.

All of these photos were taken in the city. Yes, even the ones of the cemetery. It might seem kind of odd, but I loved it there too. Look at the flowers on that hydrangea bush!

I have a few more photos to show you of a couple of other places I visited, but I think I'll craft those into a post for a different day. Hope you have a warm and wonderful weekend! See you soon.

Oh one last thing, thanks so much for your thoughts and comments on my last post. Happily, everything seems to be going well.

June 21, 2013

I'm back...a little later than expected. Oops. I feel like I've had so much going on lately. After the routine of the school year, I often look forward to the lazy days of summer, but so far they seemed to have escaped me.

My thoughts have been focused on traveling and all that goes with that. These photos are a few that I took while vacationing last summer. As for this year, I have an upcoming getaway planned to Charleston, South Carolina. I'm so excited...it's a place I've wanted to visit for so long!

I'd wholeheartedly welcome any thoughts on things to do...places to see. I'm looking forward to visiting the historic downtown...doing a little shopping...seeing the sites, but I don't really know anything specific, so throw me some ideas, okay?

Oh, totally separate subject, but I wanted to mention why I haven't been blogging or visiting as much over the past six months...just in case anyone wonders. Anyway, I've been having a terrible problem with migraines, nausea and...vomiting. Yeah, that last part is probably a little too much information, huh? Anyway, it's so much worse if I go on the computer. Thankfully though, I finally have some medication that helps my symptoms, so I hope to be around more frequently. Thanks so much for your visits :)

May 03, 2013

Hi everyone! Well, here it is May already. Can you believe it? After our long winter, I've been eagerly awaiting this time of year and the warmer weather and sunny skies that it brings.

For what seems like months now, there's been thoughts dancing around in my head about how wonderful it will be to get outdoors...wondering what flowers I should plant...if I should make a little garden. I try to block any notion of pulling weeds, painting the fence or of voles that have completely ruined my yard. Sadly though, I haven't gotten much of anything done, since nice days have been few and far between.

I'm thinking that instead of saying "April showers bring May flowers," the more appropriate phrase around here would be "April snow brings May flowers." Let's hope anyway, since there's not a whole lot of bloomin' going on in these parts.

A few weeks back the florist called to tell me that they had finally received one of my flower favorites...ranunculus. I needed a little slice of spring so I rushed right over. I can't wait for my yard to start sprouting some others that I love like lilacs, peonies and hydrangeas. Do you have a favorite flower that you plant every year or one that you can't wait for it to bloom?

As I was snapping away, I remembered that I had this pretty round box...it's covered in vintage wallpaper. Isn't it a cute little prop? I wish I didn't love little odds and ends like this so much, I never know what to do with them other than use them for photos. I tell myself that that's a good enough reason to have them around.

April 18, 2013

Pairing rustic items with things that are a little more refined has long been my favorite style of decorating. I love the look of time-worn patinas and natural materials, like weathered wood and casual flower arrangements, combined with something a bit more...I don't know quite what the word is...elegant, perhaps? It seems like it's a look that you can dress up or down, where all the elements shine and feel more fresh. In my way of thinking, anyway :)

Recently, I was contacted by someone from Mikasa generously offering to send me some of their products to put together a tablesetting. In the past, I've never agreed to do any kind of advertising or accept items from companies since they didn't feel like a natural extension of what I do here on my blog...but this did, so I said, "Yes."

Working from my thoughts on the rustic and refined combination, I selected these pretty white dishes and the aqua colored ones too. I thought I'd do a mix and match sort of thing. The flower patterned plates perfectly match those vintage Ball jars, don't you think? That was a happy discovery.

I think I'm going to have to expand my collection of antique flatware...if you can call six spoons a collection. Trying to come up with a way to incorporate those lonely spoons into the mix, I decided to tie a little camomile flower around the handle with a piece of baker's twine. It's a fancy meets farm sort of thing.

And since I've been on a blueberry frenzy lately, so I thought I might as well use some of those too...blue jars, blue plates, blueberries. Yep, it works. I bought that white ceramic basket that they're in from Anthropologie recently. I have a smaller one too. They're so nice for displaying fruits and veggies.

It's funny the things you notice after you take all your photos and you're reviewing them on the computer, don't you think? Apparently, I was too focused on how cute that flower-filled inkwell would look on the plate, that I was blind to those two little flowers poking out like antennae. Oh, well :)

About Me

Hello! I'm Tricia. Thanks for visiting my little corner of the world. This is where I explore my love of decorating, photography and creating pretty things…artistic places where, with a little bit of luck, I will figure out where God next wants to lead me.